“The pub signs have been taken down. NNDC has told us that the landlord plans to dispose of this asset, which we have taken to mean, he wants to sell it. We have six weeks to decide whether the community wants to buy it.”

Current landlord and owner Les Christman bought the pub for about £180,000 about seven years ago, she said.

She added: “It’s run-down and is not currently viable. The owner had it on the market for two years and said he could not sell it. It’s the only community pub in the village.”

Mr Christman is currently unavailable for comment.

But he admitted at the end of August that business was “very difficult” due to a lack of customers.

But he said then that rumours in the village about his premises closing were not true.

Mr Christman said at the time: “We are just refurbishing the signs because they were getting a bit tatty.

“There aren’t really any plans for the pub, we are just carrying on providing a service for the village.”

However, he said the business was not currently sustainable, and was instead “a hobby”. He said the pub makes just enough money to cover the bills.

“It is very difficult at the moment because the village is not using it,” Mr Christman said.

Records show the pub’s first licensee was Robert Davison in 1836.

The meeting will be held at the village hall, from 6.30pm on Tuesday, December 11.